Seeking FIOS Install Tips and Timing

We’re planning on getting FIOS in our house that is currently being renovated (it’s available, we’ve confirmed). We have wired some of the rooms for ethernet with CAT6 cabling and copper coax (in case we, or our tenant, would rather go with cable). I was thinking of having the ONT placed in the basement and plugging directly into that for our service.

Has anyone done this?
Downsides to a basement location for ONT?
Other, superior, locations to consider for ONT?

When, in the renovation process, should we have Verizon come in and install the hardware?
We are likely not going to be in the house until middle/end of September.

All input to help smooth the process deeply appreciated.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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brooklyndempsey | 6 years ago

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Regarding dealing with Verizon, most of the complexity was getting fiber service to the block originally, and it sounds like you already have this.
My recollection is that I just ordered the service through the call center—I don’t think they know much about installation, but you just need to get the visit scheduled (my service is 1 gig internet only).
When the tech showed up to install, I made sure I was there and showed him the conduit. He recognized exactly what it was, went to the truck to check if he had a long enough fiber (we have a long building), and we pulled the fiber through.
It’s about the easiest installation scenario I think these guys encounter…

brooklyndempsey | 6 years ago

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Here are some pictures showing how the fiber goes the whole way from the main Verizon line passing the back of the building, into an exterior box protecting the conduit from weather, and out the other end inside the cellar.

The conduit was cut through the exterior brick of the building, and it looks like the contractor used some sort of weather sealant between the conduit and the brick, in addition to the metal box enclosing the point where the conduit penetrates the wall. We’ve had zero issues with it.

Note that you’ll actually see two conduits–this is probably overkill, and there are a bunch of unused wires, right now we only use the fios connection. A single conduit is plenty big enough for both a cable and fios connection.

I use a pro-grade wifi system (Unifi) but have helped install Google Wifi for a friend and it worked very well. Running the DHCP separately from the Google unit may require some special setup but it sounds like you’ve worked that aspect out [IMG_3001-0](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s2/:brownstoner:KhE3:file_0img_3001.jpg.jpg) [IMG_2998](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s2/:brownstoner:ck8W:img_2998.jpg.jpg) [IMG_2999](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s2/:brownstoner:OhsW:img_2999.jpg.jpg) [IMG_3002](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s2/:brownstoner:M0IJ:img_3002.jpg.jpg)

Guest User | 6 years ago

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lmiller – also, does your pre-run conduit penetrate the building wall? If so, which one did you use and how did you weather proof it? Your input deeply appreciated.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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lmiller – thanks! That’s the exact plan: ONT in the cellar, Cat6 to my top floor office where all network gear will be. Planning on using VZW Quantum Gateway for DHCP and then use Google Wifi (3 units – one each floor – back/front/back layout) for wifi distribution. I intend to also run a hard line Cat6 from an office based switch to our media room for streaming applications.

The problem I’m running into is that when I call I get a sales rep who is only interested in selling me the BIGGEST, most EXPENSIVE package and has no interest in helping me with the actual install details. Should I ask to speak with the installation dept? If not, then whom?

brooklyndempsey | 6 years ago

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Assuming you are installing fiber conduit, you could really have Verizon do the installation at any stage after the conduit is installed. The installation is pretty quick since all the Verizon tech needs to do is pull the fiber through and hook it up.

Personally I would suggest not installing any network equipment such as a wifi router or ONT until the very final stages of punch-list work. Depending on the scope of construction, any electronics are likely to be clogged with dust if they are in the house while significant work is going on.

SoSlope’s points about the wifi network are important ones–you probably won’t get good coverage if your wifi access point is installed in your cellar (especially given the sturdy walls in a brownstone). Using a mesh wifi system with multiple access points, and taking advantage of the cat6 connections to spread some of the access points around the house is a good idea. So ONT goes in the cellar, and then use the cat6 to connect mesh access points around the house. Especially if it is a larger house, you’ll need to do some experimenting to get good coverage.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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FINAL QUESTION: when in the process would you have Verizon come in? I want to have internet as soon as possible, once we move in (because I am addicted and “I need it for work”.)

SoSlope | 6 years ago

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@jhcovert: I wish I had it all listed out. I would start with a rack (just look up electronics rack on Amazon). Buy a bigger size than you think you will ever need (my mistake was buying too small a box). Then look at a rack mounted power-over-ethernet switch. Agajn, buy a bigger size than you think you will need. I used the Verizon router for the DHCP server, but disabled their WiFi and set up a mesh wifi system (I used wired, professional grade access points, but not sure you need to go there).

SoSlope | 6 years ago

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If you are renovating, I would run conduits all over the house. It is a good way to future proof. We live in an old house. I have created a couple of chases and used them for everything from fiber to coax to cat-6. Having conduits installed would be incredibly useful. And when the technician runs a wire, make sure they leave a string for the next cable pull.

FYI: the Verizon FiOS fiber is very thin.

brooklyndempsey | 6 years ago

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I recently completed a similar setup in our brownstone. At the time we were renovating we were expecting Fios service in the area soon, but it wasn’t yet available. Our internal wiring hub was in the front of the building, but service would enter from the back, about a 78′ away.

What we did was run a 1″ fiber conduit from the back of the building (terminating in an exterior metal box) to our internal wiring hub. Fiber conduit is just a flexible empty tube, commonly bright orange, designed to house wires. We initially pulled coax through for cable service, and the electrician left a string in the conduit to allow future wire pulls.

When Verizon eventually offered to install service, we just told the technician that we had a fiber conduit installed for him to use. He brought an appropriate length of pre-terminated fiber, and it was no issue to pull it through the conduit using the string. So we have a direct run of fiber to the front of the house, and the ONT is installed there with the rest of our home networking equipment.

The advantage of fiber conduit is that it is future proof, and wiring can added or removed easily after construction. Worked extremely well for us.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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Murrayhill, smart thinking on the wifi for security. We were thinking the same thing, but then saw the state of our construction site and knew no electronics would have survived that maelstrom!

SoSlope, did they turn on your service as soon as they ran the fiber? When I’ve called I end up with sales who doesn’t know or is only interested in billing me ASAP and is not interested in our set-up or situation. I’ve rarely been yessed so much in such a short period of time. Should I be calling a different department?

nednedx

in General Discussion 6 years ago

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Hi, very similar situation to yours. We went ahead and got Verizon to come in and do the Fios install pre-renovation. We had the fiber through the backyard/deck …terminating on the parlor floor. Also got an extender….the previous owners had Spectrum cable. The FIOS tech was able to use the coax from Spectrum for the extender on the top floor. Our logic for getting FIos pre-movein was to get wifi enabled security installed…

Guest User | 6 years ago

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Super helpful, SoSlope!!! Would you mind sharing the specific gear you’re using (switch, cabinet, etc)? If it works for you then I trust it to work for me.

SoSlope | 6 years ago

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One consideration, Verizon will have to run fiber into the basement. This, you should get that run before you close things up.

SoSlope | 6 years ago

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Exactly what I did. All CAT6 lines home run to the basement. I have a patch panel there in a small cabinet rack with a commercial quality switch. The ONT is on the wall in the basement.